Problem with font size and printing

[lester]

Hi,

 

I finally loaded all 11,000+ listings into my database successfully.

 

I am now facing an aggravating problem. I assumed that by using the default font style & size, I would be able to print out everything in the window of my database. I stretched out the fields to fill the window nicely so there wouldn't be a space left over on the right side.

 

But when I print out any of my listings, they are in huge # 12 font size and only half the fields will show up on the printout.

 

Is there any way to change the font size for the entire database? For any changes, I have not been able to figure out how to make more than one cell on one line get highlited for editing purposes.

 

I can't change my listings one by one for all 11,000 of them. How can I change them all to #10 font size instead of the huge #12?

 

I like the way it looks on screen with #12, but it won't all fit on the printouts and looks huge.

I can't edit the font size unless I have something highlited, but I am only able to highlite one field on one line at a time. Why can't you highlite multiple lines for editing like you can in a word processor or in spreadsheets? Or is there a way that I just haven't figured out yet?

 

I'd like to leave the font as #12 to view on screen, but as #10 for printing.

 

Can anybody help me please? I would really appreciate it. I hope that the only way to solve this isn't by creating another script, seems like this situation should be possible to fix without running a script. Also, why would #12 font be default if it is so darn big and causes these problems with printing?

 

Thanks a bunch.

[David Head]

Hi Lester

You sound frustrated with your lack of knowledge of how FileMaker works. It is possible to change the "default" size of field fonts for a new layout.

 

I don't really understand your problem - you say that you "stretched out the fields to fill the window" but then when you print "only half the fields will show up on the printout". Do you mean half the fields or half the data in each field?

 

You can change the size of the fields in layout mode by selecting the field and setting the font size. You can select multiple fields and change them all at once.

 

You say the you would "like to leave the font as #12 to view on screen, but as #10 for printing". This can be done also - have one layout for viewing and another for printing. From what you say I am not sure you understand the use of layouts.

 

By the way, how did you get the data loaded? Did you use the parsing script I suggested?

[lester]

Yes, you are correct that I am very frustrated about my lack of knowledge about how FileMaker works. Obviously, I don't know much about FM, that is why I am asking questions here.

 

I am not creating this database for myself to only use. I am creating it to run FM Developer on to make a runtime stand-alone program with to burn on CD. The people that use this CD will have NEVER used FileMaker at all and they will know very little about computers period.

 

This is why I want this database to open very easily showing a full screen, and to print all the fields when they print out their search listings.

 

They will not know how to switch to different layouts to do different things or to run a script or to slide the field columns etc.

 

I have already figured out how to use the layout>format>sliding/printing to fit all the fields into the printed pages (preview).

 

Now, the print is very small in view mode and there is a huge white block on the right side. If I zoom in 1x, most of that white area is gone, but there is still a couple inches.

 

All the changes I make are always put into a "layout #1". I don't see any options for creating a "layout #2" etc, etc.

 

Even If I do create new layouts, this will not help the people using the database on CD. They will not have a clue how to do this. It will be enough of a challenge for old people that are not experienced with computers just to switch from "Browse" mode to "Find" mode.

 

Now, having said all that.....Is there any way to get rid of that large empty space on the right side that appeared after sliding the fields to the left so that they all fit on a printed sheet?

 

Will I need to create a script so that the database opens up zoomed 1x? If so, how would I create a script to do this?

 

The people I am making this database for on CD will not understand about switching to different layouts etc. I need to have everything set up as much as possible when the database opens.

 

Nice size text in view mode (Browse), as well as all the fields printing out.

 

I had to drop the font size to 10 and slide everything over to the left to be able to print out all the fields. This left a big white space in browse mode on the right side making browse mode quite ugly and the text very small. The only thing I can think of is to have a script open the database in zoom 1x. There is still a white space on the right side that I would like to get rid of, but nowhere near as big as before zooming.

 

I used the MS Excel method to import. Wasn't too bad really, helped me to find more errors that needed correcting along the way.

 

Thanks, your help is greatly appreciated.

[David Head]

Well I think you need to learn about how to script processes like printing. In the script, it would switch to find mode (and perhaps to a special layout), pause for the user, trap errors such as lack of search data, switch layouts, pause for preview, print and take the user back to where they started - all in a process that could not be aborted.

 

Many scripts are created for exactly the type of user you have mentioned. In my opinion, a user should not have to know how to use FileMaker Pro to use your solution. So you provide them with scripted buttons to do everything that they need to do.

 

Generally speaking, you have one layout for browsing and another for printing. Script the printing process.

 

I suspect that you need to know much more about FileMaker Pro before you can create an effective bound solution for distribution. Don't take that personally, just a comment about effective development.